Everything Has Changed
by Blondie B. Happy
Summary: "I'm coming back for you, Calypso. I swear it on the River Styx." She said she didn't want empty promises, so he made a full one. And nothing was going to stop him from rescuing her.


**Warning: House of Hades spoilers in the story. Read at your own risk. AU, OOC, Typos, Post HoO I guess? LeoXCalypso. Enjoy!**

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Standing on the rocky shores of some beach at some place at gods' knew what time, Leo thought hard about decision making.

One choice could end a life or start a new one. One choice could save the world or doom it all to Hellfire. One choice could make it or break it, but the problem was that you wouldn't know the consequence until the deed had already been done. By then it would already be too late, and the damned would be damned and the saved would be saved. Some would benefit and some would detriment. It was the ultimate inevitability.

Wow, he sounded like a freaking philosopher. Leo grinned to himself and shook his head. Annabeth was rubbing off on him, and he wasn't sure if that was really a good thing. He wasn't smart, and he didn't really want to be any more than he was already.

The sun made everything all the more hot, even though it was setting rapidly. Leo was sweating and was sure that if his nerves didn't cause him to catch on fire the heat would.

All Leo could do was hope that his decision had been the correct one. Zeus had given him a choice between many different things, and Leo had stunned everyone by what he had done.

"Are you sure?" the gods had asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes," Leo had replied, more serious than he'd ever been his entire life. "I've never been more sure."

That had received a few odd glances, because Leo was never serious, but he was telling the truth.

There was no going back now. He couldn't rewind the past, though that would've been an awesome power. He couldn't necessarily dwell on everything that had happened in the past forty eight hours. Where would that get him?

Had she gotten his message? Had the gods kept their word? He'd made them swear on the River Styx, but hadn't Percy made them do the same thing? Leo shook his head and thrust a hand through his curly mass of black hair. It wasn't like there was much he could do about it now. What was done was done.

The gods had sent him to this island at least twelve hours ago. He'd barely had a breakfast when Hermes appeared out of flippin nowhere, snapped his fingers, and sent Leo on his way. Leo knew why, of course. The meeting on Olympus, the Treaty and War and all that, had only ended a little over two days ago. He still had bruises and sprains to prove it.

Perhaps the gods had sent him here to die. They were disappointed that he hadn't already died in the war against Gaea, maybe? That was a shame.

Nothing now to do but wait. Time would tell if the gods could be upheld to their oaths.

So Leo flopped to the ground and waited.

And waited.

And then waited some more.

It was a very boring process for an extremely ADHD demigod.

He tried to busy himself with whatever was in his tool belt, but he didn't find breath mints and screwdrivers to be all that fascinating. But he ate the little pieces of candy like they were laced with drugs and constructed little helicopters out of things he found, all while the tide rose evenly and the sun continued to set.

Soon night had graced Leo with its presence. His small fire had gone out, and yet he didn't move to go get more firewood. He wanted to be at attention if she ever did arrive, though he was starting to be doubtful. With nighttime came the cold, and he blew fire into his hands to keep them warm.

Leo wanted something to do. Someone to annoy. Something to fix. A book to read—ha, no. But he learned very quickly that waiting was boring, especially being as excited as he was.

"Come on," he groaned, frustrated. "Don't leave me here. All I want is to see her. Is that too much to ask?"

He wasn't sure if he expected a response, but he didn't get one. The wind only howled on and the tide came in so that it brush his feet. Cursing, he jumped up, because the water was freezing, and backed away slowly.

He remembered what had happened a little over a month ago, being shot out of the Argo II and falling through the sky, ultimately landing on that island and meeting her. At first, she hadn't been the nicest at all, but being imprisoned on an island and falling in love with ever castaway you met, only to have them break your heart and leave, could do that to you.

Leo had quickly warmed up to her though, and she joined Team Leo eventually. But like all of the other's he'd left her there. . .

But as his small raft had sailed away, he had sworn on the River Styx that he would return and free her.

Now the gods needed to follow up with their side of the promise.

Of course, this wasn't the same island, but if the gods were truthful she'd be taken from her prison to this island to meet him, and from there on out they could leave.

Midnight began to approach and Leo's stomach rumbled. He contemplated grabbing a bite of Tofu Tacos, but then decided against it. He gazed out into the thick foliage of the island. There was probably food out there.

A sick thought of Lord of the Flies, a book Leo had been forced to read at Wilderness School, crossed his mind. He made a face at no one and pushed the book from his mind. He was not going to end up like any of those kids.

"Leo?" asked a cautious voice from behind him.

It was as if all time just stopped.

It was her. He had no doubt in his mind about that. Her voice was like a feather in the breeze, but powerful at the same time. She also sounded nervous and talked in disbelief, probably thinking that it couldn't be him, that he had forgotten about her like all of the others.

But when Leo made a promise, he intended to keep it.

So then he turned around, and there she was. Her long hair was braided down her back and shining in the moonlight, and her perfect eyes glistened with tears of shock, and the look on her face was priceless. She was still wearing jeans and a white shirt, as if not a day had passed since they'd last seen one another. Leo's heart did a somersault.

Calypso.

He wasn't sure who came forward first, but soon they were right in front of each other, their arms around the others, hugging. Calypso squeezed Leo so hard that he couldn't breathe, but he didn't care at all, because he was there with her.

She pulled away. "But. . . I don't understand. How did you do this? I can't—"

"I promised that I would come back for you, didn't I?" Leo said with a wink. "I don't break promises. The minute the gods gave me a choice on what I wanted, I asked for you to be let go. It was the only thing that was on my mind. And now you don't have to go back to Ogygia unless by choice."

"Leo. . ." she trailed off, her eyes tearing up. Her delicate hands cupped his face.

"I can't open up Leo and Calypso's Auto Repair without you, of course," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "That just wouldn't be right, would it?"

Calypso didn't answer with words. Instead she kissed him, right on the lips. They poured every unsaid emotion into that kiss, and Leo's hands wrapped around her small waist. Under the nighttime sky, the scene was beautiful. The cool wind blew at their hair and the waves gently lapped at their ankles, but he didn't care. There was only the two of them.

Leo had never thought anything would've been better than his first kiss, but apparently he was wrong.

His first kiss had been full of goodbyes and farewells, but his second kiss was better, because it held hope, love, and promises for their future. Together.


End file.
